Internet Providers in Salem, VA

Over 375 people in Salem found the best Internet Provider in the last 30 days.

#1

EarthLink Fiber

92.36% availability
EarthLink Fiber logo

Connection Types:

Fiber
Speed up to:

5 Gbps

User Review:

(2728)

View Plans

100% Fiber. All the way to your door. $24.95/mo

#2

Verizon

91.14% availability
Verizon logo

Connection Types:

Fiber / DSL / Television / Mobile / Phone / 5G Home Internet
Speed up to:

1 Gbps

User Review:

(2718)

Fios customers get upload speeds as fast as their download speeds.

#3

Lumos

6.01% availability
Lumos logo

Connection Types:

Fiber / DSL
Speed up to:

6 Mbps

User Review:

(2939)

View Plans

Internet built for the future

#4

Xfinity

90.7% availability

Connection Types:

Cable / Television / Phone
Speed up to:

2 Gbps

User Review:

(2645)

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Comcast customers get access to millions of WiFi hotspots nationwide!

#5

Cox

1.64% availability

Connection Types:

Fiber / Cable / Television
Speed up to:

7 Gbps

User Review:

(2648)

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Cox is now part of Spectrum.

#6

Viasat

97.79% availability

Connection Types:

Satellite / Phone
Speed up to:

150 Mbps

User Review:

(2975)

View Plans
#7

HughesNet

98.64% availability

Connection Types:

Satellite / Phone
Speed up to:

100 Mbps

User Review:

(2869)

*24-month commitment and early service termination fees apply. Monthly Fee reflects the applied $5 savings for ACH enrollment. Offer may vary by geographic area.

Unlimited Data – With no hard data limits, if you use the data in your plan, speeds will reduce.

#8

Starlink

97% availability

Connection Types:

Satellite
Speed up to:

400 Mbps

User Review:

(2978)

View Plans

Fast Satellite Internet available almost anywhere on Earth.

Television Only Providers in Salem, VA

#1DIRECTV

  • Entertainment package: 90+ channels streaming or 175+ via satellite, locals included
  • Two ways to watch: satellite service, or streaming over the internet
  • HBO Max, Paramount+ with SHOWTIME, STARZ®, and Cinemax® included free for 3 months
  • On Demand shows and movies, plus unlimited cloud DVR storage on streaming plans
  • Professional installation with satellite, or plug-in self-setup with streaming
Pricing starting at:
$59.99

#2Dish Network

  • DISH is ranked #1 in Customer Satisfaction by J.D. Power for the third year in a row.
  • 2-Year TV Price Guarantee.
  • Free Google Voice Remote and Smart DVR Included.
  • Record up to 16 shows at once.
  • 80,000 On Demand Titles.
  • FREE Standard Professional Installation from a trusted, local expert.
Pricing starting at:
$64.99

Best Internet Providers in Salem

Salem sits in the Roanoke Valley west of Roanoke, anchored by Roanoke College. Roads and development follow the valley floor and the I-81/I-581 corridors, concentrating newer subdivisions and business parks where operators have pushed fiber and higher-capacity cable. Fiber service is concentrated in downtown Salem and around Roanoke College, while neighborhoods at the city edges and rural fringes remain largely on cable or fixed wireless. Given Salem's pattern of postwar expansion, newer streets usually get the freshest lines and steadier upload speeds, while out toward the hills people often switch to 5G home or satellite when wired options thin out.

EarthLink Fiber is the best internet provider in most parts of Salem, if it is available at your address. Fiber internet is one of the fastest and most reliable types of internet and is ideal for remote work, streaming, gaming, and busy households with lots of connected devices. In many areas of Salem, you will see speed tiers from 6 Mbps to 7 Gbps, with pricing generally in the $30-$99/mo range.

Xfinity is a solid choice in Salem, if fiber is not available where you live. Cable internet is widely available in many parts of Salem and can support most households with speeds up to 7 Gbps and plans starting at $30/mo.

Verizon offers 5G home internet plans starting at $69/mo, and delivers speeds from 11 Mbps to 1 Gbps, depending on your address and signal strength. 5G internet can be a great alternative in many parts of Salem.

What is the fastest internet provider in Salem?

Cox is the fastest internet provider in Salem, VA, with download speeds up to 7 Gbps and upload speeds up to 20 Mbps — available to 1.64% of the city.
ProviderConnectionsMax DownloadMax UploadAvailability
CoxFiber / Cable / Television7 Gbps20 Mbps1.64%
EarthLink FiberFiber5 Gbps1 Gbps92.36%
XfinityCable / Television / Phone2 Gbps1 Gbps90.70%
VerizonFiber / DSL / Television / Mobile / Phone / 5G Home Internet1 Gbps1 Gbps91.14%
StarlinkSatellite400 Mbps44 Mbps97.00%
ViasatSatellite / Phone150 Mbps3 Mbps97.79%
HughesNetSatellite / Phone100 Mbps5 Mbps98.64%
LumosFiber / DSL6 Mbps1 Mbps6.01%

What is the cheapest internet provider in Salem?

Cox offers the cheapest internet in Salem starting at $30.00/month with speeds up to 7 Gbps. EarthLink Fiber offers the next lowest price at $39.95/month.
ProviderStarting PriceSpeedContractData Cap
Cox$30.00Up to 7 GbpsNo1.28 TB
EarthLink Fiber$39.95Up to 5 GbpsYesUnlimited
Xfinity$50.00+Up to 2 GbpsNoUnlimited
Verizon$69.00Up to 1 GbpsNoUnlimited
Starlink$55.00Up to 400 MbpsNoUnlimited
Viasat$49.99Up to 150 MbpsNoUnlimited
HughesNet$74.99*Up to 100 MbpsYes100-200 GB
Lumos$40.00Up to 6 MbpsNoUnlimited

What type of internet connection is best in Salem?

Salem has 4 main types of internet connections. Your best option depends on where you live and what you need.

Cable

83.02%

Most widely available wired option. Xfinity covers 90.70%, Cox covers 1.64%. Up to 2 Gbps download. Good for most households.

DSL

91.14%

Verizon, max 1 Gbps. Being phased out for fiber. Only consider if no other options exist.

5G Wireless

23.10%

No contracts or data caps. Verizon leads at 91.14%. Typical 15 Mbps - 450 Mbps. Great for renters and budget-conscious users.

Satellite

100.00%

Viasat (150 Mbps), HughesNet (100 Mbps), Starlink (400 Mbps). Higher latency. Last resort for most Salem residents.

Salem, VA - Internet Connection and Coverage Map

Salem, VA has a total of 12 internet providers including  3 Cable providers, 4 DSL providers, 3 Fixed Wireless providers and 3 Satellite providers.

Compare Internet Providers in Salem, VA by Coverage Area

All 12 internet providers serving Salem by coverage area. This is the most comprehensive provider comparison available for the city — no competitor lists more than 6 providers with coverage data.

ProviderMax DownloadMax UploadInternet ConnectionCoverage
1.HughesNet100 Mbps5 MbpsSatellite / Phone98.64%
2.Viasat150 Mbps3 MbpsSatellite / Phone97.79%
3.Starlink400 Mbps44 MbpsSatellite97.00%
4.EarthLink Fiber5 Gbps1 GbpsFiber92.36%
5.Verizon1 Gbps1 GbpsFiber / DSL / Television / Mobile / Phone / 5G Home Internet91.14%
6.Cyberonic11 Mbps11 MbpsFiber / Cable / DSL / Fixed Wireless91.14%
7.Xfinity2 Gbps1 GbpsCable / Television / Phone90.70%
8.B2X Online20 Mbps20 MbpsFixed Wireless22.14%
9.Lumos6 Mbps1 MbpsFiber / DSL6.01%
10.NRV UNWIRED15 Mbps2 MbpsFixed Wireless5.59%
11.Cox7 Gbps20 MbpsFiber / Cable / Television1.64%
12.Level 3 Communications~~Fiber / DSL~

Is there financial assistance for internet service in Salem?

Yes. Salem residents may qualify for free or discounted internet service through the federal Lifeline program, or provider-specific, low-income, affordable internet plans.

Federal Program

Lifeline

An FCC program that provides up to a $9.25/mo discount on internet service to eligible low-income households at or below 135% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Provider Program

Xfinity Internet Essentials

$14.95/month for up to 75 Mbps for qualifying households. Xfinity Internet Essentials includes xFi Gateway (modem + Wi-Fi) and discounted PCs.

Provider Program

Verizon Forward

Up to $30 off/mo for eligible Fios or 5G home for qualifying households. Verizon Forward includes 12 months of job resources & skills training.

Provider Program

Cox Communications Connect2Compete

$9.95/mo for up to 100 Mbps for qualifying households. Cox Communications Connect2Compete includes Wi-Fi modem & EasyConnect self-install.

Frequently Asked Questions about Salem

EarthLink Fiber is the best internet provider in Salem, VA, based on speed and pricing. It's Fiber internet reaches speeds up to 5 Gbps, and plans start at $39.95. When comparing providers and plans, keep in mind how you use the internet and how many others in your household use it. High-demand activities, like streaming and working from home, and multiple users will require faster speeds to avoid buffering and poor performance.

There are 12 internet providers in Salem, VA. Residents have a variety of service options, including cable, DSL, fixed wireless and satellite.

Cox offers the cheapest internet plans that start at $30.00. Note that some pricing may be promotional or tied to autopay and paperless billing. If it is promotional pricing, your monthly bill will likely go up when the promo ends.

Cox has the fastest speeds in Salem, with a top download speed of 7 Gbps. Faster speeds provide more bandwidth for work-from-home activities (like video conferencing), online gaming, 4K video streaming, and households with multiple users and devices.

Yes, fiber internet is available in Salem. We recommend fiber internet for its fast symmetrical (equal) download and upload speeds, low latency for real-time activities like gaming and video calls, and its stability and resilience to interference. Fiber availability varies by address.

Yes. Salem residents could get assistance to reduce internet costs through various programs. Xfinity Internet Essentials offers up to 75 Mbps for $14.95/month. Verizon Forward has eligible Fios or 5G home with up to $30 off/mo. Cox Communications Connect2Compete offers $9.95/mo for up to 100 Mbps. Since the ACP (Affordable Connectivity Program) ended in 2024, eligible households may take advantage of the federal Lifeline program, which provides up to $9.25/month in discounts.

If it's available in Salem, fiber internet is the best internet option for online gaming. Fiber offers the fastest download and upload speeds, but more importantly, it offers very low latency, which is important for fast-paced games that rely on stability and quick response times.

Yes, 5G home internet is available in Salem. 5G home internet offers competitive pricing and easy self-installation, since it doesn't rely on new or existing wired infrastructure. Average download speeds for 5G home internet are between 200 and 300 Mbps, which is plenty for remote work, streaming HD and 4K content, and households of 2-4 users, depending on activity.

The average download speed in Salem is 38 Mbps. For comparison, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) defines broadband internet as having a download speed of 100 Mbps and an upload speed of 20 Mbps. Go to TestMySpeed and run an internet speed test to see how fast your internet connection is compared to speeds in Salem, VA.

HughesNet, Viasat, Starlink, EarthLink Fiber, and Verizon offer internet in Salem, VA.

  • HughesNet: Offers speeds up to 100 Mbps starting at $74.99*/mo.
  • Viasat: Offers speeds up to 150 Mbps starting at $49.99/mo.
  • Starlink: Offers speeds up to 400 Mbps starting at $55.00/mo.
  • EarthLink Fiber: Offers speeds up to 5 Gbps starting at $39.95/mo.
  • Verizon: Offers speeds up to 1 Gbps starting at $69.00/mo.

Internet Providers in Nearby Cities

Glenvar, VA Cave Spring, VA Roanoke, VA Hollins, VA Lafayette, VA Vinton, VA Cloverdale, VA Elliston, VA Daleville, VA Laymantown, VA Boones Mill, VA Troutville, VA Shawsville, VA Blue Ridge, VA New Castle, VA Fincastle, VA Montvale, VA Blacksburg, VA Christiansburg, VA Merrimac, VA Rocky Mount, VA Westlake Corner, VA Henry Fork, VA Prices Fork, VA Ferrum, VA

Free wireless internet access points in Salem

Roanoke County Public Library - Glenvar Branch
3917 Daugherty Rd.
Salem, VA 24153
(540) 387-6163
Salem Public Library
28 E. Main St.
Salem, VA 24153
(540) 375-3089

How We Research Internet Providers

BroadbandSearch is committed to providing accurate and current internet provider data so you can choose the provider and service in your area that best suits your needs and budget. Here is how we source and verify the information we provide:

Data Sources

We pull provider data from FCC Broadband Data Collection filings, the NTIA National Broadband Map, U.S. Census Bureau data, and direct provider disclosures.

Coverage

Availability percentages represent estimated households that can order service, based on FCC Form 477 data and provider-reported service areas.

Reviews

Aggregated reviews from verified BroadbandSearch users. Ratings are based on speed performance, reliability, customer service, and value.

Updates

We review pricing monthly and coverage is updated quarterly with new FCC data. Last updated: September 19, 2026.

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